How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Cat Poop
Have your dog's digestive system checked by a veterinarian., Optimize your dog's diet., Treat worms, if your dog has them., Make sure your dog isn't bored., Give some time for medical issues to clear up.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Have your dog's digestive system checked by a veterinarian.
A small percentage of poop-eating dogs are suffering from medical conditions that make them do atypical things.
A dog suffering from a lack of digestive enzymes may crave to eat feces because it is lacking the ability to properly digest its food and looks to reclaim those vital nutrients.Another example of a medical problem causing coprophagia (poop eating) is an overgrowth of bacteria in the bowel, which leads to a vitamin deficiency in the bowel wall.
In order to correct this deficiency the dog then craves poop.Typically, both these conditions are associated with soft or liquid feces, since the dog cannot digest food properly.
However, normal stools do not rule out all the health issues. -
Step 2: Optimize your dog's diet.
If the dog's diet is lacking in nutrition it can all lead to coprophagia.A hard to digest diet that is high in cereal may cause some dogs to seek poop to eat in order to supplement their diet.
Switch to a high quality food that has a named meat at the top of the food label.
Make sure you are feeding the recommended amount (not too much or too little) so that the dog is not hungry. , Intestinal worms rob the dog of vital nutrition, which it may try to reclaim by eating poop.
Worm your dog with a good multi wormer (these are usually prescription only) against all classes of worms (roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms). , A bored or frustrated dog may make their own amusement, which includes seeking out and eating poop! Make sure your dog has plenty of exercise and interactive play in order to stop boredom, leading to unpleasant habits. , You have a healthy dog that is dewormed and exercises regularly, but it still eats cat poop.
Be aware, that some things are habit forming and that includes coprophagia.
It can take a few weeks after any underlying problems have been addressed for the dog to stop. -
Step 3: Treat worms
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Step 4: if your dog has them.
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Step 5: Make sure your dog isn't bored.
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Step 6: Give some time for medical issues to clear up.
Detailed Guide
A small percentage of poop-eating dogs are suffering from medical conditions that make them do atypical things.
A dog suffering from a lack of digestive enzymes may crave to eat feces because it is lacking the ability to properly digest its food and looks to reclaim those vital nutrients.Another example of a medical problem causing coprophagia (poop eating) is an overgrowth of bacteria in the bowel, which leads to a vitamin deficiency in the bowel wall.
In order to correct this deficiency the dog then craves poop.Typically, both these conditions are associated with soft or liquid feces, since the dog cannot digest food properly.
However, normal stools do not rule out all the health issues.
If the dog's diet is lacking in nutrition it can all lead to coprophagia.A hard to digest diet that is high in cereal may cause some dogs to seek poop to eat in order to supplement their diet.
Switch to a high quality food that has a named meat at the top of the food label.
Make sure you are feeding the recommended amount (not too much or too little) so that the dog is not hungry. , Intestinal worms rob the dog of vital nutrition, which it may try to reclaim by eating poop.
Worm your dog with a good multi wormer (these are usually prescription only) against all classes of worms (roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms). , A bored or frustrated dog may make their own amusement, which includes seeking out and eating poop! Make sure your dog has plenty of exercise and interactive play in order to stop boredom, leading to unpleasant habits. , You have a healthy dog that is dewormed and exercises regularly, but it still eats cat poop.
Be aware, that some things are habit forming and that includes coprophagia.
It can take a few weeks after any underlying problems have been addressed for the dog to stop.
About the Author
Amanda Thomas
Brings years of experience writing about home improvement and related subjects.
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